Extreme Ways
by Mairen
Summary: **I changed Chapter 1** Takes place before Alanna. Payton is a beautiful noblewoman in Tusaine who longs to be more than the a noble she is forced to be. She learns Shang, and soon finds her destiny awaiting her....PLEASE R+R!!!!
1. Cliffs and Convents

**Disclaimer**:  Tusaine belongs to Tamora Pierce.  Mehehehe.  The characters so far are all mine.

**A/N**: for anyone who read this before, I just changed it.  I totally agree with you about Payton being too perfect, I was kinda pissed off at her after I wrote it! Hehehe.  I just made her get mad at herself a few times and lose a fight.  Sound a-okay?

**A/N 2**:  Hey!  I hope you guys like this!  It starts out a little slow but it will get up to speed in a few chapters!!  It takes place a long time before Alanna, like when the Old King was just coming into power, and it's presently in Tusaine.  Enjoy!  If you have any questions, review!!!  You know you want to!!! =o)

~***Extreme Ways*~**

**Chapter 1: Cliffs and Convents**

"Come on, Brendan, let me have a turn," whispered a girl of about eleven.  She was a pretty little thing, with blue eyes women would die for, and black hair that shone in the moonlight.  Her face was flawless, with a straight, soft nose, and her red lush lips.  Her skin was milky smooth, and only slightly tanned.

"Payton," a boy about a year older said, "yeh shouldn't even be here.  Yeh're a noble girl, and yeh'll get hurt before yeh leave.  Yeh don't want that, do yeh?"

Payton made a face.  "It's my last night here, and I want to jump, too," the girl whispered angrily.  All the young boys in the village had snuck out that night, as they did every full moon, and were jumping off the rocks into the watery gorge.  The parents of the village ignored it, for they had done the same thing when they were little and their parents before them had done the same.  Tonight, however, was the last night before youngest child of Lord Melvin was leaving for the convent, and her parents were very worried about the impression she would make.  The whole town knew that they were drilling her every night about what to say, what to look like, and in general how to act.  Lord Melvin had found out the month before that she was regularly joining the town boys in their full moon rituals, and had punished her harshly, banishing her from associating with them.  She was no longer talking to her father, and deviously joined the boys one last time the night before she left.

"Yeh'll catch a cold, Payton.  I'm sure yer father would be happy," snarled Brian, the burliest and nastiest boy in town.  "Besides, yeh'll drown, being as yeh can't swim."

"Shu'p, Brian.  If yeh had a brain, yeh would know that this here girl can swim better than yeh can.  Yeh sink straight to the bottom!"  laughed a blond-haired boy.  This was Brendan and it was rumored that he was already doing deals with the Rogue in the capital  Many a boy were scared out of their wits by him, and Brian was quiet at once.  Brendan turned to Payton.  She was his best friend in the world, and he would never wish anything bad upon her.  "Payton, lass," he said, his eyes dancing, "the only reason I don't think yeh should jump tonight' is cause yer parents will have all our hides if they find out.  Yeh'll be gone too, so we'll have to defend ourselves.  That prob'ly means that they'll send us to the capital to 're-educate' us, or they'll just tax out families more.  Yeh don't want that, do yeh?"  He whispered to her fiercely.  

The truth was, he didn't want her getting hurt.  He really did want to jump with her, and if Payton's parents found out, they would probably just brush off the boys as being stupid and just punish Payton.  Last time she had jumped, the time her parents had found out, she had hit the side of the cliff, breaking her leg easily.  Brendan was scared out of his mind for her when he heard her scream, and jumped in after her.  If it wasn't for him, she might have drowned that very day, unable to keep afloat with the pain of a broken leg.  He had pulled her ashore and had spent the rest of the night healing her leg.  He had a very powerful gift that had been trained to the point that village healer had no more to teach him.  In many cases, such as that one, his healing was more effective than hers, and he took the case upon himself.  He had finished by dawn, but she couldn't yet walk because her leg was still sore so her carried her to the castle and handed her over to Ciarra, Payton's older sister who was visiting from the convent.  Lord Melvin had just awoken and was not too pleased to find an older town boy carrying his soaking wet, sandy, noble daughter to his door at dawn.  He had jailed Brendan for a week, and forbid Payton from seeing him, or any town boy for that matter, until she left for the convent. She had argued with her father for days about putting Brendan in jail, telling him that it was all her fault and that Brendan was just trying to send her home, but her father just hit her and sent her to her room with no dinner for a week.   Brendan found this ridiculous and kidnapped her the night he got out of jail, taking her to the town pub.  None of the commoners there would ever say a word to Lord Melvin, for they all hated him just as much as Payton did.  She laughed and joked with everyone there and Brendan just sat back and watched her with a grin on his face.  But then she had snuck out to jump one last time, and he couldn't let her.

"Payton, just go home," he said with reluctance, "I can't let yeh get hurt again."

She heard the reluctance, and she looked up at him, her long eyelashes fluttering in impatience.  "If that's what you want, Brendan, I won't do it," she muttered, and promptly turned around to leave.  She walked away a few step, then stopped.  All the boys turned back to the quarry.  She looked behind her at Brendan who was smiling, and he winked a bright green eye at her.  Suddenly, Payton knew that Brendan really did want her to jump, and that he was only afraid that she would get hurt again.  She grinned evilly at him, swung around, and leaped off the cliff with a yell.  She stretched her arms out beside her, like she was flying, and her skirts billowed behind her.  She moved her arms out in front, turning the jump into the most graceful dive Brendan had ever seen.  He grinned at her falling figure and saw her hit the water with barely any splash.  The boys around him gasped at her nerve and grace.  No one ever disobeyed Brendan (except maybe Brian) because they were all too scared.  Brendan looked around him and then looked at Payton, who had just surfaced, and started laughing so heard he couldn't stand up.  Brian walked over to him and pushed him over the cliffs edge with anger he fell into the water with a smack, and he surfaced still laughing.  Payton swam over, grinning, and floated on her back next to him.  

"Payton," he said, gasping for air.

"What?"

She was staring at the stars when he looked at her, he hair flowing out around her and her milky skin glowing in the moonlight.  He knew everything about her, and she about him.  Sometimes, like the moment before, he wondered if she could read his mind.  "I'm really going to miss yeh," he said truthfully, "don't go and change on me."

~*~*~*~*~

Payton's mother, Celine, awoke her at dawn to get her ready to leave.  She had the servants pack Payton's bags, and gave Payton a stern talk on manners and etiquette.  Ciarra was to accompany her back to the convent along with their older brother Nathaniel, who was the King's most trusted knight on war.  His parents were very proud of him for aiding the corrupt king of Tusaine in his war matters with Tortall.  They had been at was for generations, and Lord Melvin certainly believed that his son would bring that to an end, obliterating Tortall.  Nathaniel was to drop them off, make sure they were settled, and ride on to the capital to aid the king in his endeavors.

"Smile, Payton," Nathaniel said with a grin, "this is the beginning of your life!  You ragamuffin friends back there were just holding you back from the noble woman you could be."

Payton forced a smile at her brother.  He was not a very nice person, and often hit anyone who got in his way, including his sisters.  Payton could force any emotion and make it look completely real.  "I know, but there was no one else to talk to.  I hope there will be plenty of girls there to be friends with," she said.

"That's the spirit, Pay," Nathaniel smiled.

Payton really actually looking forward to what they could teach her at the convent.  She heard from her sister all the subjects the taught, like mathematics, astrology, poetry, language, etiquette and even self-defense.  A curious girl, Payton wanted to learn as much as she could about the world around her.

"Oh Pay," said Ciarra, "you're just going to love it there".  Payton hoped with all her heart that she would, but found herself at the same time thinking of Brendan laughing with her that night, only wanting to go home.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The journey there was long and hard, for Tusaine was a large country and they lived on the Gallan border.  Ciarra could barely contain her happiness the closer they got, and Nathaniel was grooming his chestnut hair rather frequently.  Payton smiled inwardly to herself at her brother's weakness for women.  

When the convent cam into view, she gasped with delight.  It was a tall limestone castle carved out of rock protruding from the cliff behind it.  It was an absolutely stunning sight with the small fortress surrounding it and the market with in.  The guards at the city's wall sounded the trumpet, announcing the arrival of nobles.  The wooden doors opened to reveal people of all ages hustling about, doing their shopping for the day and going about their business.  Payton had never seen this many people in her entire life, and smiled as they turned to catch a glimpse at the nobles.  Peddlers yelled from all sides of her, advertising their merchandise, while children ran underfoot, playing warrior.  Payton remembered when she and Brendan often did the same thing.  The thought of him sent pangs of sorrow through her heart.  

They rode up to the castle gates, and were let in by the guards there.  There were even thicker walls surrounding the convent.  She turned to her sister, who was smoothing out her hair. "Why are the walls surrounding the convent so thick and enormous?" she questioned curiously.

"Well, they don't want those vulgar commoners whistling or looking at the noblewomen, of course," Ciarra replied, looking at Payton like she was some sort of idiot.  Payton made a face at her sister and dismounted when they reached the stables.  Ciarra was so annoyingly perfect.  When they were little, Ciarra often told on Payton for playing in the quarry and the mudholes with Brendan.  She also scrutinized every dress Payton ever wore saying that "she didn't fill it out well", or that it was "sickeningly out of style", or even that "the color made her look like a hag".  It was at these times when Payton often lashed out at her sister, and she often earned herself a beating for it.  

Lost in her though, Payton handed she reins over to the servant, following Nathaniel's lead.

"Welcome," said a melodious voice behind her, "to Tusaine's finest institution for the education of women."  Payton turned gracefully around to face this woman and curtsied, wobbling a little, but not too noticably.

"Your kindness is too much, Mother" Payton said, her eyes still lowered, reciting the lines her mother had taught her.  "Please teach me how to be a lady so I can honor my family and country" she intoned.

"Beautiful," the woman said, "I can see that you will be just as promising as your sister Ciarra here."

Payton took that as a queue to stop curtsying and she straightened with near-perfect posture she had obtained from being forced into a back-board for practically her entire life.  She looked up at the woman and gasped.  They woman was absolutely gorgeous, with flowing blond hair and green eyes that seemed to smile benignly at her.  She was almost as tall as a fully grown man and looked every bit a goddess.  "I am Mother Kelleigh," she said, "and I am the headmaster here.  Your father, the good Lord Melvin, has entrusted you to me, and it is my duty to watch out for you.  I sincerely hope that you will enjoy it here."

Payton smiled, flashing straight, white teeth.  "Thank you for your kindness, Mother."

Lady Kelleigh now turned to Nathaniel.  "Nathaniel, I presume you should ride on the the capital before noon comes.  We don't want you riding in the dark," the Lady said, her eyes dancing.  

Payton could barely contain her laughter when she saw the look on Nathaniel's face.  He was quite the ladies' man and it seemed Lady Kelleigh knew that.  She didn't want anything happening to her girls, and if Nathaniel stayed overnight, things were sure to occur.  

"Yes, milady," said Nathaniel with reluctance, "as you wish."  He turned to ride off.  "Have a good time, Payton!" he turned to yell. 

"Now, let's get you out of those horrid breeches, girls, and get you washed up," said Lady Kelleigh, turning toward the castle.

~*~*~*~*~*~

**A/N**:  I hope you guys like it!  This is my first Tammy fic, so please tell me if this is actually worth writing.  It might be a few days before my next update.  I know this chapter is kind of short, but it will get a lot longer!!  It gets a lot different from Alanna, too (I know it seems a lot like the beginning of that book right now), but there was no other way to get Payton to the convent =o).  Love ya all and I hope you enjoy it!!! ((Happy dance))


	2. Back at the Ranch

**Disclaimer**:  Tortall and the Gift and Tusaine all belong to Tamora Piece, but everything else is _ALL MINE_!!! Muahahaha!

~***Extreme Ways*~**

**Chapter 2: Back at the Ranch…******

 Brendan sighed as he lay on his bed.  It was late, and he couldn't stop thinking about Payton.  Her skin last night……….her hair.  He had just lost his best friend to a bunch of mindless girls with nothing better to do than gossip.  He stared at his leaky low ceiling and listened to the rain smack his rattling window next to his bed in torrents.  

He sat up quickly.  'I can't let this happen to me,' he thought to himself, 'I'm killing myself over losing her.  There must be something I can do…..'  His thoughts ran off.  Suddenly, a completely foolish idea hit him.  'I have to make myself good for her,' he thought, smiling inwardly.  'She'll go off to that convent of hers and meet dashing knights and forget all about me, but by Gods, I will make myself good for her.'  

He stood up onto the creaky floor and gathered his belongings.  He didn't have much, only a few ratty clothes and other personal items.  The small room was dark, but he moved stealthily around it like he had memorized it.  

He ran out into the freezing rain and covered his head with a cloak.  His boots were already covered with clinging mud.  He looked around to make sure no one was walking about this late at night and hurried off to the stables.  

By the time he got there, we was absolutely soaking wet. 'Not exactly the best time to be doing this, Brendan,' he thought to himself.  Then of course, the rain made it unable for anyone to heard the horses hooves beat on the ground as he led in out into the rain.  He had chosen Lord Melvin's fastest horse, the stallion he was the most proud of.  'A payback for what you did to Payton,' he thought.  He wasn't worried about anyone tracking him, they weren't going to.  Where he was headed was the last place they would ever expect of a poor common boy like him.  

He kicked the horse into gallop and he was on his way.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Payton followed Ciarra into her new quarters.  Fortunately, they weren't near her sister's, so it was somewhat of a reprieve from her cruelty.  She opened the white door to reveal a large, pink lace clad room.  Mirrors adorned almost every piece of furniture, and the canopy-laden bed was decked out in pink and ivory pillows.  There were about ten chairs, and she supposed these were for the ladies' to faint in if they found themselves to beautiful when they looked in the hundreds of mirrors.  She laughed out loud when Ciarra hurried to one of them to once again check her hair in a mirror. 

"Atrocious!" wailed Ciarra, "I'll tell you, I'm never riding a horrid horse again.  Look what it does to my hair! And my complexion!"  She started dusting herself with a complementary powder puff.

Payton, meanwhile, had dropped her bags on the floor next to her bed and fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When she awoke, it was dark out.  She quickly changed out of the breeches she was still wearing and into a simple blue cotton dress.  She checked the moon outside her wondow.  From the looks of it, it was near two o'clock.  She pulled on a pair of shoes and hurried out the door to her room and into the hallway.  It was black except for an occasional candle lighting the way down the carpeted corridor.  She turned left and strode quickly down the hallway towards the kitchens.  

Ciarra had given her a brief tour yesterday, cut short when her friends ran over to her hugging her and gossiping, but she had had time to show Payton where the kitchens were.  Payton reached the end of the hall and walked to a massive marble staircase towards the servants quarters.  When she got to them near the back of the castle, she found this place very much alive.  Women bustled about with linens and dresses, pushing past her as if she weren't there.  She silently thanked her simple dress and walked forward.  A girl stopped her just as she was to enter the kitchens.

"Well," she said, studying Payton with scrutinizing eyes, "you're not from around here, are you."

"Actually, I just arrived today," Payton said, wanting to keep it as simple as possible. She didn't want these women shooing her back off to bed.  

"That would explain it," the young woman said, her mouth turning up into a smile.  "My name's Mairen," she said, offering a hand.

"Payton," the girl replied, taking Mairen's hand and shaking it, "it's nice to meet you."

"So, you looking for food or something?" asked Mairen. 

"Well, yes.  I just woke up from a nap and I was looking for the kitchens."

"Right this way," Maire said, ushering Payton along.  "So what do you want?  We've got bread, pastas, fish, meat………you name it"

"A bowl of soup, perhaps?" intoned Payton.

"Soup?  You sure?" asked Mairen to a nodding head.  "Alright!  Soup it is."  And with that, she poured Payton a bowl of steaming soup and brought it over to her.

"What room are you in?  I didn't see you arrive," asken Mairen

"Well, actually…....." Payton fingered her bowl nervously.  She liked this girl, and she knew many people who held her noble status against her when they found out.  She took a deep breath "upstairs."

"Upstairs?!  Like as in you're a noble?" yelled Mairen, "But, they never come down here!  No, you're lying, I can tell." She started laughing.

"Think what you want," said Payton, her eyes averted.  Mairen looked at her long and hard.

"You really are from upstairs, ein't you?" Mairen looked at Payton hard.

"Yes," said Payton, her eyes meeting Mairen's just as fiercely.

"So why are you down here?  I mean, nobles never come down here unless we were late cleaning their dress or something.  And this is your first day!"

"I guess I was just really hungry," Payton replied, "that and the fact that all the pink was getting to me."

Mairen started laughing again.  "I think I like you, Payton, for all you're a noble."

~*~*~*~*~

Brendan stopped at an roadside inn, exhausted from the ride last night and the rest of the next day.  It was quite uneventful, and he knew he wanted to keep it that way.  He hoped no one would notice he was gone for good until it was too late.  Lord Melvin usually didn't go riding, so he probably wouldn't know his trusty steed was missing along with some of Nathaniel's finest clothing for awhile.  

"Ein't yeh a bit young to be ridin' off on yer own, lad?" a voice boomed behind him, "and a horse!  Where did yeh ever get that 'un?  She's a beauty."

"I am off to Tortall to visit my uncle," said Brendan, reciting a lie he'd practiced on the way over, "I have some news for him, and a guard couldn't be spared at the moment."  He tried to keep his soft lilt from being heard.  He was dressed like a noble in Nathaniel's old clothes and supposed he should act like one as well.

"Yeh never know what kind 'o men are around 'ere.  Yeh better keep an eye out, lad, pickpockets and murders are all over these days."

"Well, thank you for your hospitality," replied Brendan with a grin, "and if it's not too much trouble, I would like a bath."

"Right away, sir," the innkeeper replied.  Brendan turned and walked toward the bar, easily stealing a purse from a rather large redhead on his way.  When he got to the bar, he opened it to find a handful of gold nobles and even more silver nobles.  He smiled inwardly to himself.  "This ought to do the trick," and with that he was off to his rooms to take a nice, long bath.  

~*~*~*~*~*~

Payton smiled when she woke up the next morning.  She had stayed most of the night with Mairen and had met many other girls who worked at the castle.  They had come from all over the realm, and she got to know each one quite well before she fell asleep into her soup.  The girls got quite the kick out of that, and they got her a rag and told her she should go back to bed. Payton had obeyed reluctantly.

She didn't know girls could be so much fun.  When she lived in Inaugh, her fief, she was only friends with boys because all the girls there treated her like dirt.  They teased her relentlessly and only talked to her when their parents forced them. But these girls, these girls treated her like a real human being.  They shared stories of their childhood and even told her about all the secret passages in the castle.  "That way you won't get caught if you want to come down here again," Mairen had told her with a smile, "it was pure luck you didn't get caught.  Some of the newer sisters patrol the halls nightly, and if you're caught out of bed, you won't forget it."

Payton got out of her bed and took a nice, warm bath.  She cleaned the dirt off of every bit of herself from the long ride the day before and then scrubbed her milky shin until it was pink.  She got out of her bath and donned a sapphire blue dress that was cut high in the neck.  She knew that she didn't really have much to flaunt, so she didn't push it.  She pulled a brush through her hair, trying to help it dry and looked at her reflection in the mirror.  She fingered her stubborn chin, and brushed out her dress.  'I guess I'll pass,'she thought to herself, 'I'm not a beauty like Ciarra, but I'll pass.'  She snorted at the mention of her sister.  Where was she, anyway? Payton had no idea what she was to be doing, now, so she opened the door with a creak and peeked out.  Girls were rushing past, some half dressed, yelling to each other and giggling.

"Fiona, have you given me my red dress back yet?"

"Where in the goddess's name are my black shoes?"

"Does anyone have extra rouge I can borrow?  I ran out!"

When Payton stepped out of her room, she was almost trampled by who she supposed was Fiona, because the girl was carrying a rather risqué red dress.  

"Oh!  Sorry!" she glanced at Payton and almost kept walking. "Wait," she said, turning back to face Payton, "you're the new girl, aren't you?"

"Um, yeah, that's me," said Payton with a little bit of a smile, "what's going on?  Does this happen every morning?"

"Well, actually, er…."

"Payton"

"………right, Payton.  Actually, it's market day, so we're all getting dressed for it.  You're Ciarra's little sister, aren't you?"  Payton looked her over.  She was about Ciarra's age, with curly chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes that twinkled.  

"Yes, I am,"  replied Payton, indifferently, "are you friends with her?"

"Well, no, not really.  You have to gorgeous to be friends with Ciarra, and trust me, I definitely don't pass."  Payton let out a small sigh of relief.

"I was under the impression that everyone here was friends with her," said Payton.

"Really?  That's strange, because only about five girls here are good enough, and the rest are just written off by Ciarra as hopeless.  See that girl, right there?" asked Fiona, pointing to a gorgeous blond-haired girl who was dressed in a soft pink dress. "That's Evelyn, and she's a whiz at putting together great parties.  She's god a rather powerful gift she uses to help her with it, you know.  And there," she pointed to a small graceful girl with golden hair that fell below her waist in waves.  "That's Riley, the second most beautiful next to your sister.  Those twins right there," she pointed to two girls with dark brown hair and deep brown eyes, and the creamiest skin she'd ever seen, "those are Siobhán and Shea.  They just got into Ciarra's clique last year after they successfully got perfects in the beauty category on exams.  And there's your sister's best friend," Fiona said, pointing to a strawberry blonde with golden eyes and ghostly white skin. Next to Ciarra, and Lady Kelleigh, she was the most beautiful woman Payton had ever seen. "Her name's Shannon and she actually beat your sister in the etiquette portion of the exams last year.  She was the only one to beat her in anything" whispered Fiona, so the other girls wouldn't overhear their conversation.

Payton snorted with laughter.  "Impressive," she said sarcastically, under her breath.  Fiona heard it and grinned.  

"Do you have a sponsor yet?  Because I would be glad to show you your way around the castle and all if you want.  It can be a bit confusing at first."

"Well, my sister was supposed to be mine, but it appears as though she has other things on her agenda," Payton replied as she watched Ciarra flow down the hallway toward the dining hall for breakfast, "I accept."

"Great!  Let's get going then!" said Fiona with a smile.

**A/N**: I hoped you guys liked it!  There's going to be a lot more happening soon, so sorry if it's a bit boring…….I know the feeling.  Thanks to all my reviewers! (actually, just the two of them…….*sigh*)  I really liked hearing your critique and suggestions!  Thanks!

**Reviewers**:

** Krizta**:  She does seem that way, doesn't she?  I was thinking about that, too.  Brendan's a hottie, maybe I'll make the story about him.  Lol.  Haha, either that or I'll have the Sisters ream her out for being snotty, and she'll mellow out a little.

**Reviewer**: Haha, it's actually kinda funny. I came up with the idea when I was on the phone with my brother, who goes to school at Cornell.  I went to visit him there awhile ago, and found out that they go gorge jumping there at night (can you imagine?  I guess they don't have anything better to do…).  So I added in the full moon to make it seem like they didn't so it every night and voila! Quarry jumping and Payton breaks her leg!  Thanks for the review!

_Name Pronunciations for all that have problems with these things like me_:

Payton: (PAY-ton)

Ciarra: (cee-AIR-a)

Fiona: (fee-OWN-a

Mairen: (MARE-in)

Evelyn: (EV-el-in)

Riley: (RYE-lee)

Kelleigh: (KEL-lee)

Siobhán: (shiv-AWN)

Shea: (SHAY)


End file.
